Key set tabulating mechanism



Dec. 15, 1931. R. w. ELLIOTT KEY SET TABULATING MECHANISM '2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb, 16, 1929 INVENTOR. RALP h/J ELL/0TB ATTORNEYJ.

Dec. 15, 1931. R w I T 1,836,456

KEY SET TABULATING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 16, 1929 2 Sheets -Sheet 2 t I ATTORNEYJ,

Patented Dec. 15, 1931 UNITED STATES RALPH W. ELLIOTT, F INDEPENDENCE, KANSAS 1 KEY SET 'IABULATING MECHANISM Application filed February 16, 1929. Serial No. 340,583.

This invention relates to tabulating mechanism for typewriters, and it has for its object to provide an attachment for the standard Underwood typewriter, by means of which tabular stops upon the rear of the typewriter may be set by the manipulation of an element disposed adjacent the keyboard of the typewriter, and in a position convenient of access by the operator. It is not broadly new, with me, to actuate the stops of a tabulating machine from the keyboard of the same. There is an Underwood typewriter known as the key set decimal tabulating machine, in which the tabulating stops are set from the keyboard of the machine. However, the widely used standard Underwood typewriter is so constructed that the tabulating stops must be separately manipulated and set b hand from the back of the ma 2o chine, an the operator. must turn the machine around, or else reach over the top of the same, to set these stops.

Under the present invention, I combine with existing portions of the standard Underwood typewriter, very simple and inexpensive elements, by virtue of which I am able to set tabulating stops upon said machines, from the front of the same.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vlew, partly in elevation and partly in section, of the elements constituting the present invention, looking from an end of the standard Underwood typewriter, and with certain portions of the latter illustrated in dotted lines, I i

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan View of the actuating member of the bichrome ribbon shift, hereinafter described,

Fig. 3 is a detail view of a spring engaged collar, hereinafter described, 3

lift frame assembly shaft of the standard Underwood typewriter, V

stituting the tabular stop, hereinafter described, and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of acranked shaft, hereinafter described,

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the bichrome ribbon shift and associated parts, and V Fig. 9 is a view partly in'elevation and partly in section of the tabulator rack, tabular stop plates, and associated parts. a

In the standard Underwood typewriter, the bichrome ribbon shaft mechanism comprises an operating finger piece 5, such as is illustrated in Fig. 2, said finger piece being, in the known constructions, mounted upon an oscillating rod.

In carrying out the present invention, I substitute for said rod a tube or sleeve '6, the operating finger piece 5 being secured to said sleeve to oscillate the same to shift the ribbon mechanism in the same way as formerly.

The tabular sleeve is then utilized as a i mounting for a longitudinally slidable rod 7, having a head or button 8 upon its outer end, which is disposed at the front of the machine and in a position convenient of access by the operator. The inner end of the rod 7 is preferably provided with an enlarged head 9, which bears upon the crank extension 10, of a band 11. This band encircles the conventional lift frame" assembly shaft 12 of the typewriter, and carries a crank extension 13; A? spring 14 connects the lower end of the crank extension 10 with a finger 15,*'of a collar 16, the latter being held by set screws 17, upon the sleeve 6. It is clear that the spring 14; tends to thrust the rod'7- outwardly, theoutward movemento f such rod being limited by contact of the head 9 with the inner end of the sleeve 6. p 'It'is also clear that if the operator presses the head or button inwardly, crank extension 10 will be moved against the tension of spring 14 (1 th k t 13 "l Fig. 4 isa detail vlew of a fragment of th an Gran 8X enslon W111 mo-ve downwardly. 1

This downward movement ofextension 13 is transmitted through a link 14 to the crank arm'15 upon an oscillatory shaft 16%. At a point further along in its length, this shaft 16 is provided with a second crank extension 17*. The shaft 16 is an existing element of the present Underwood key set decimal tabulating machine,'an'd I utilize this element in the construction of the present device. The crank 17 is pivotally connected at its outer end to a bar 18, the upper and lower ends of which are ofi-set from each other, as shown, and which bar constitutes the key set decimal tabular stop setting slide of the present Underwood key set decimal tabulator. To the upper end of the bar 1 rigidly attach a stop set slide 19. "This element slides through slot of a tabular stop plate 20, which hasa-isingle =stop-tooth 21, upon its upper edge. This plate is carried by the conventional tabular framefulcrum shali-t or bar 22, of the standard Underwood typewriter which under my -'1: 'rop'ose d"arrange-' ment is converted into a tabulator stopplate supportin shaft. That'is' to say, in the known type et machine,this bar'ro'cks or oscillat'e's upon its axis. Consequently, "when the tabulato'rke'y v(not shown) ofthe standard Underwoodtypewr'iter is actuated, this b'arQQ is'rockedtoward the'left and swings the tooth '21 upwardly and inwardly into'the pathof'movement of any ofthe set stops 2301 the decimal-tabulator rack 24. This decimal tabiilat'or rack is like a corresponding elemerit of the Underwood key setdecinral tabulating machine nowon' the market. "That is to say, it comprises the'rack bar, which cari'iesa large number of the stops 23, movable vertically through bar 24 from the full to the dotted-line:position. The slide 19 is provided with an end or fingerQG, which overlies the line of' stops23,-and when the slidej'l9 is drawnfdownwardly, by the operation of the key 8,'the stop which happens to lie'beneath the 'finger "26 will be thrust downwardly through bar 2%l,fand into suchepositionthat when the tooth '21 is moved upwardly and inwardly, it will lie in the path ofmovement of the depressed stops. The'rackfla, and its associated stops are mounted upon the carriage of-"the standard Underwood typewriter, and ta'kethefplace of the conventional tabulator ra ek'of said standard typewriter.

" Wli n-fit is desired to set given Stop to cause the typewriter tobegin its writing at afgive'n point in the width of the sheet'of 7 paper being written upon, the operator moves the carrlage' to bring such point 'upon'the pa:

' per at the writing space, or point, of the typewriter, and then presses upon the key 8, thereby depressing the corresponding stop 23 of the rack bar. A brake consi'stingrof a plate QT and a leather brakeshoeQS, is yieldably secured to the outer face of the tabulator stopplate 20, by means of a pair of screws'29. Springs 30 bear between the heads of these screws and'the outer face of plate 27, and tendto move the plate 27 toward tubular stop pl'ate' 20. Consequently,"when the bar rackibar- 24, and frictionally engages the 22"is'o'scillatedto move tooth 21 upwardly and inwardly, the leather brake shoe- 28 is moved against the smooth outer face-of the since the greater the pressure appliedfto the tabularkey ofthe typewriter in rocking elemay further be adjusted by varying the ten- :sioIr-of-thesprings 30, under manipulation of the screws 29. V

-In the "drawings, *1 have illustrated the existingportions of the standard Underwood typewriter in dotted-lines, and have illustrated' theele'ments of the, prese1'1t'attachment infull lines. The member's". 15,l16,'17 and? 18 have been illustrated in 'full lines because they are. takenffrom the key set decimal tabulating machine, and are notor dinarily pres ent in the ordinary 'standardlUnderwood;machine, to which this attachment relates. v Thesame is true with 'relationto the rack 24 and stops-23. While they are of a known construction, they are found I in the key set decimal tabulating machine, and; not in 4 the usual standard typewriter; V H a From" the fo egoing description it will be apparentthat'I'ha-ve utilized many of'the existing parts of the standard Underwood typewriter, and have combined therewith very simple "and inexpensiveattachments, by virtue ofwhich the owners of'the relatively simple standard machine may have all of the advantages of the key-settabulato'r. V I

It is to be understood thatthe invention-is not limited to the ,iparticula'r arrangement herein shown and described, because other wayswillreadily suggest'th'emselves to persons skilled inthe" art of providing an actuating means eXte'nd'ing" to the from of the typewriter for actuating the 'slide 19. ",Consequentl-y, it 'isto be understood that the invention includes within "its jpurview what ever changes fairly come within either the terms or the spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim and'desire tosecure by Letters Patentis: H r 1 The combination witl1-a1typewriter,' of a stop barmovable with the carriage thereof and comprising --a plurality of 'dep-ressible' stops, a member adapted to-engage said stops when said member is movedkilownwa-rdly, a ribbon shift element'- oftubular formation extending from the front -toward the rear of the typewriter, a "rod longitudinally iimov'able through said ribbon shi ft*elementa'andv exposed for operationatits outer-end; and-connections operated by- -the [inward thrust "of said rod for moving said stop setting member downwardly. I V

r 2. The combination w-itha1typewriten-having a lift frame assembly shaft, of astop bar ment22, the greater the pressure exerted by the brake-Tshoe. Theiposition of the brake movable with the carriage thereof and carrying a plurality of tabulator stops, a member, the movement of which sets said stops, and means for actuating said member from the front of the typewriter, comprising a shaft having a pair of cranks, said member being connected to one of said cranks, a link connected to the other of said cranks, a part mounted for oscillation upon the lift frame assembly shaft of the typewriter, a crank extension carried by said part to which said link is pivoted, a second crank extension extending from said part, spring means tending to move the last named crank extension outwardly, and means accessible from the front of the typewriter for thrusting inwardly upon the last named extension and against the tension of said spring.

3. The combination with a typewriter having a lift frame assembly shaft, of a stop bar movable with the carriage thereof and carrying a plurality of tabulator stops, a member, the movement of which sets said stops, and means for actuating said member from the front of the typewriter, comprising a shaft having a pair of cranks, said member being connected to one of said cranks, a link connected to the other of said cranks, a part mounted for oscillation upon the lift frame assembly shaft of the typewriter, a crank extension carried by said part to which said link is pivoted, a second crankextension ex tending from said part, spring means tending to move the last named crank extension outwardly, means accessible from the front of the typewriter for thrusting inwardly upon the last named extension and against the tension of said spring, said last named means comprising a tubular ribbon shift element, and a rod movable through said ribbon shift element.

4. The combination with a typewriter having a lift frame assembly shaft, of a stop bar movable with the carriage thereof and carrying a plurality of tabulator stops, a member, the movement of which sets said stops, and means for actuating said member from the front of the typewriter, comprising a shaft having a pair of cranks, said member being connected to one of said, cranks, a link connected to the other of said cranks, a band mounted for oscillation upon the lift frame assembly shaft of the typewriter, a crank extension carried by said band towhich said link is pivoted, a second crank extension extending from said band, spring means tending to move the last named crank extension outwardly, means accessible from the front of the typewriter for thrusting inwardly upon the last named extension and against the tension of said spring, said last named means comprising a tubular ribbon shift element, and a rod movable through said ribbon shift element, the outward movement of said rod under the influence of said spring being limited by the tubular ribbon shift element.

j 5. The combination with a typewriter, of a stop bar movable with the'carriage thereof and comprising a plurality of stops adapted to be projected beyond said bar, a member adapted to engage said stops and move them 7 when said. member is moved, a ribbon shift element extending from the front toward the rear of the typewriter, an operating member associated with and supported by said ribbon shift element and operable from the front of the typewriter, and connections between the said operating member and the first named member for actuating said first named g a member to move said stops.

6. The combination with comprising a lift frame assembly shaft, of a stop bar movable with the carriage. thereof and comprising a plurality of stopsadapted to be projected beyond said bar, a member adapted to engage said stops and move them when said member is moved, a ribbon shift element extending from the front toward the rear 'of the typewriter, an operating .a link connecting the crank extension with the other crank of the oscillatory shaft, and

a second crank extension from said part that is engaged and moved by the operating mem- 7. The combination with a tabulator stop plate supporting shaft of a tabulator stop plate, substantially L-shaped, one leg of which is secured to the' tabulator stop plate a typewriter,

supporting shaft, a rack bar carrying a plurality of depressible stops overlying the free edge of the tabulator stop plate, a brake secured to the tabulator stop plate and movable with said stop plate to bring it into engagement with the outer face of the rack bar, and a stop setting element which passes through the tabulator stop plate and is pro vided with an end overhanging the said rack bar.

8. A tabulator stop plate of substantially L-shape, comprising a substantially vertical leg, said horzontal leg being transversely slotted, said vertical leg being provided with a stop tooth along its upper edge.

9. A structure as recited in claim 8, in combination with a brake carrying member secured to the outer face of the tabulator stop '4 q gssegese plate and -carrying at'its-free end a brake shoe.

10. A"structure asredite'd in claim 8, in

combination with [a brake carrying plate,

yielfdably isecured to the outer face of'the tabulatorstop plate.

11. The combination with a typewriter and its earriage of a rack bar carried thereby,

provided 'with a plurality of depressible stops an oscillatory tabulator stop plate supporting'shaft',;the'tabulator stop plate comprising-a lateral and a substantially verticall y extending portion, the former being soou'redto said shaft and being rocked by the movement of said shaftto carry its upper edge toward the said rack bar, a brakeyieldably secured to the outer face of thestop plate, comprising a brake shoe adapted to be moved i'nto'oontactgwith the outerface of the rack bar when the tabulator stop plate is rocked upwardly, a stop plate setting elemerit-comprising a bar extendingthrough the -tabulator stop plate and carrying an overhanging end adapted to engage and clepress the stops of the rack bar, and means "for imparting downward movement to said bar from a'point acljacentthe key board of the ty ewr-iter.

n testimony whereof I afli'x my signature.

RALPH W; ELLIOTT. 

